


Don't Look Down

by LessonsFromMoths



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Also misc other members of the volleyball team, But add a little extra gay, Canon Universe, Coach - Freeform, Everyone is onto them, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Not-So-Secret Relationship, POV Outsider, Perceptive players, Secret Relationship, Sickfic bonus, Suga is a Good Friend, Tanaka is a little shit, Volleyball, okay, teammates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:01:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23668810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LessonsFromMoths/pseuds/LessonsFromMoths
Summary: So wait...are Ukai and Takeda...athing????Aka, Ukai and Takeda are supposed to be just their coach and advisor but the team realizes, one-by-one, that they are in a romantic relationship.Multiple Player (outsider) POV!
Relationships: Takeda Ittetsu/Ukai Keishin
Comments: 34
Kudos: 388





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from Ukai quote: "Don't you dare look down! Volleyball is a sport where you're always looking up!"
> 
> Alternate title: Takeda and Ukai are not as slick as they think they are.
> 
> Soooooooooo here's the deal: I have not written anything except Teen Wolf (Sterek) fics for over 5 years. Branching out and leaving Stiles and Derek behind for this fic was surprisingly hard, but I had so much fun writing this little fic about my favorite Haikyu!! pairing.
> 
> It almost goes without saying: this is my first Haikyu!! fic, and therefore there are probably a lot of disparities between the actual characters and how they act in this fic. I took some liberties, had some fun, and did my best. I hope you all like it! 
> 
> *un-beta'd, I'm sure there are tons of mistakes! Please have patience with me! :)

Tanaka wasn’t stupid. And he was also in high school, where rumors flew faster than pollinating bees, causing gossip to bloom all over the hallways of the high school. So he knew the rumors about Takeda-san. He was too mild-mannered, too involved in matters outside his own personal life. He would rather throw himself into a failing volleyball club than focus on finding a wife. Tanaka didn’t pay attention to things like that, but the girls in his class would giggle over Takeda-san and his softness, marveling about his slight figure and pale skin. 

Ok, ew.

But the point was, Tanaka knew the rumors, and he himself hadn’t really seen much that would dispute them. Despite what others might think, he could actually be quite perceptive. Takeda-san always turned dates down. Always. Even if it was the pretty student teacher, or the new librarian, or someone who looked like neither of them. The volleyball staff advisor didn’t seem interested. 

Needless to say, it wasn't very hard to imagine that Takeda-san was gay.

Of course, Daichi would never let the team speculate, at least not openly. He maintained that it was their job to respect Takeda-san as their staff advisor, which also meant respecting his personal life. Personally, Tanaka figured that no one on the team would ever give their advisor any grief about it if he was, in fact, into guys, but he understood. If he was in Takeda-san’s shoes, he wouldn’t want the high school volleyball team musing over his sexuality, either. 

And if Takeda-san were gay, it probably wouldn’t be something that he would advertise. While Japan had been making leaps and bounds regarding LGBTQ rights, his possible homosexuality could taint his entire life, including his professional career. That wasn’t the kind of thing to be taken lightly. 

But so what if he and the other second years had a pool going about their timid advisor’s sexuality? Could you blame them for being curious? 

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The new coach -- the _general store worker_ \-- pushed them hard. After the game with Nekoma, there had been an obvious shift in the dynamics of, well, everyone. Kageyama noticed it immediately as everyone else had quickly realized that their temporary coach was there to stay. Of course, if they had been paying attention to that first practice game with the Neighborhood Association, they would have known that sooner. But he guessed he couldn’t place blame on others for not being as observant as he was. 

Ukai-san was interesting to Kageyama in and of himself. There had been an obvious shift in the coach, too. It had happened after the training camp, but before the practice game against Nekoma. He seemed...at ease emotionally, but tense physically. Kageyama noticed it during their practice game. Sometimes Ukai-san would tense up for no reason, a blush faint on his cheeks, and his eyes would glaze over for a few seconds. Never long enough to leave the action of the game at hand, but enough that it intrigued the first year setter. He wondered what would cause that kind of change in a man that seemed so unaffected as Ukai-san.

As far as coaches went, Ukai-san wasn’t the worst. He had the experience, and had been coached by one of the most well-known coaches back when he was a student at Karasuno High. Actually, as Takeda-san had once told him, Ukai-san used to be their setter, and even went on to play in college. It gave Kageyama pause to learn that particular fact. Ukai-san also knew when to leave the players alone or when to intervene. He had a knack for connecting with players that were too hard on themselves, and he refused apologies that he didn’t think were necessary. 

Kageyama’s mother had always told him that the best kind of man was one who didn’t collect apologies.

He focused on cross-training a lot, which Kageyama respected. Volleyball required a lot of energy and stamina, and extra training outside of just the sport was required to keep players’ bodies in working order. It was during a three-mile run that he stumbled upon Ukai-san and Takeda-san deep in conversation, presumably over the team. He and Hinata had, unsurprisingly, been competing again, and he had veered off the normal path to try and throw his rival off. But something about seeing their coach and their advisor, yards away from the gym and huddled over a clipboard, gave him pause. 

He didn’t try to hide but also didn’t make his presence known as he watched them talk, never over the other, always listening intently. He noticed how whenever Takeda-san shifted, Ukai-san shifted to match so that the two of them were never further apart than where they began. Ukai-san was tracing out a play on the clipboard with his finger when Takeda-san abruptly pointed to something, and their hands collided gently. 

Kageyama noticed that neither coach moved his hand, but they kept talking as if nothing had happened, as if nearly holding your colleague’s hand mid-conversation was the most natural thing in the world. It piqued Kageyama’s interest, almost unbearably so, as he tried to analyze each and every move each man made towards the other.

Hinata came barreling around the corner, catching sight of Kageyama in the process and rushing towards him, mouth open in what must be the beginning of a shout. Kageyama put a finger to his lips, and Hinata immediately closed his mouth, coming to a standstill next to the setter.

“What is it?” He whispered, trying to peek at the sight Kageyama couldn’t tear his eyes from. 

Kageyama shook his head. “A very interesting experiment,” he said quietly. He had finally pinpointed the shift, and he was interested in how the situation would pan out.

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Shimizu was under no false pretenses. From her permanent spot beside Takeda-san, she noticed the shoulder brushes, the lingering fingertips between volleyballs, the late-night equipment cleanups. She knew fondness when she saw it. Unlike the boys, who were oblivious to their own two feet, she understood exactly what was happening as each day burned on like a beacon: she was watching her associates fall in love. 

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“Oi, Daichi!” Suga trotted up to him in the club room, slapping his hand on Daichi’s shoulder. “I think the first years need some encouraging words before practice,” he said carefully, eyes deliberately flickering to the other players in the room. He was trying not to alarm them that something was up. After years of knowing Suga and trusting his intuition, Daichi didn’t need to be told twice before he was racing down the stairs to get to the gym, knee pads falling at his ankles. 

When he bursted into the gym, his attention was immediately caught by what looked like a showdown or a staring contest between Tsukishima and Kageyama. Hinata and Yamaguchi, ever the loyalists, were standing next to their friends, trying to join the dick-measuring contest but being ignored by the key players.

“What’s going on?” He said, marching towards his players and deliberately putting himself between the four of them, challenging them to protest. They all stepped back. 

“He’s deliberately baiting me!” Kageyama hissed.

“I wouldn’t have to if you’d learn how to toss a ball properly,” Tsukishima responded cooly, and both Daichi and Hinata grabbed onto the collar of Kageyama’s shirt to stop him from lunging. 

“Listen you two!” Daichi said sternly, forcing eye contact with the both of them. “You need to communicate. There’s no way we’ll be able to even compete at the tournament if you don’t. Tsukishima, Kageyama can’t know what you want unless you vocalize it. Learn to talk to your setter or learn to adjust to his tosses. And Kageyama,” he turned his eyes to the setter’s burning ones, “you need to make an effort to ask Tsukishima what he likes. Hinata is not your only spiker on the court, and Tsukishima is tall enough that you will always encounter him in the front row. Learn to trust your teammates. Adapt. Or lord help me, I will strangle you all. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Daichi-san!” They all yelled, the tension bleeding from them. 

Daichi nodded sharply, stepping out of the cooking pot. “Good. Now take three laps to cool down before practice.” He watched them all start their laps as he walked towards the bleachers, setting down his water bottle. 

“Nice job, Captain,” Ukai-san murmured from the corner of his mouth, not taking his eyes off of the first years. Daichi grunted in acknowledgement but glowed with pride at the compliment. Those were few and far between coming from their coach. 

“Daichi-kun! That was very impressive! This team is lucky to have you as its captain!” Take-chan said, his usual manic grin stretched across his face. Daichi had always worried that his grin might one day split his face open.

“Thank you, Takeda-san,” Daichi inclined his head at the flattering words, cheeks pink. He saw that the rest of the team was spilling into the gym just as the first years were finishing their laps, so he took the opportunity to escape to the court, ready to lead warmups. 

“Always have to one-up me, don’t you Sensei?” Daichi heard Ukai-san murmur, and Takeda-san let out a weak cough that might have covered a laugh.

“You know you love the challenge,” Daichi heard the response, and he immediately yelled the start of warmups, face quickly reddening at what he had overheard. Whatever his coach and advisor did on their own time was none of his business, and he hoped he could keep it that way. 

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“Again!” Asahi reset and called for the set, then did his approach (right, left right, a mantra that had followed him since his childhood volleyball days) from the back row, sending Kageyama’s set kareening over the net. Noya was there to pop it up, as if he was born to receive Asahi’s spikes.

“Again!” Ukai-san yelled, voice unapologetic. The spikers reset, unwilling to groan in exasperation. Even Hinata, who was always so excited to be included, wasn’t jumping as high as usual. Again, the ball went to Kageyama, and all the spikers approached as if the ball was being set to them, and Asahi came from the back row to send the ball sailing over to the other side of the net. 

Ukai-san was about to open his mouth to yell again when Daichi quickly inserted, “Maybe a quick water break before we go back to running this formation?” 

Ukai-san glanced at the clock, then sighed, as if realizing how long he had been making them run that particular play. “Yes, yes. We’ll work on receiving next,” he sighed again, reaching for the cigarettes in his pocket as he walked out of the gym. 

The second and third years gathered on the edge of the bench like usual, minus Ennoshita, Kinoshita, and Narita, who were indulging in their favorite pastime: teasing Yamaguchi. “What’s his major malfunction tonight?” Noya asked rudely. Asahi elbowed him, but Tanaka shook his head. 

“Seriously, I want to know what crawled up his ass and died,” he said.

“Do you really not know?” Suga asked quietly, taking a sip of his drink as Noya, Tanaka, and Asahi all shook their heads in confusion. “Who isn’t here tonight?” He offered. 

The second years were silent. “Takeda-san?” Asahi said, still not following.

Daichi inclined his head in acknowledgement. “Takeda-san is out with the flu,” he said simply, as if that explained everything.

“But he was out with the flu yesterday and the day before that,” Noya protested. “That doesn’t explain why Ukai-san is riding our asses tonight.” But by the looks being exchanged by Daichi, Suga, and Tanaka, it definitely explained the harder-than-usual practice.

“If your special someone was sick, wouldn’t you be worried if they didn’t come to class for three straight days? Wouldn’t you be counting down the seconds until you could go and visit, to see if they’re alright?” Suga asked gently.

Realization dawned on Asahi, and oh. Oh shit. He hadn’t realized….“You don’t mean?” He said softly.

“So we’re getting our asses beaten because a grown man can’t externalize his feelings for a friend and therefore takes out his frustrations on poor wittle high school students?” Noya asked crassly, lacking tact, as per usual. Except this time, Ukai-san was standing in the gym, his eyes zeroed in on the libero. 

The rest of their group slowly inched away from Noya, hoping not to get stuck in the crossfire. As Ukai-san descended upon Noya, the rest of the team rushed back to the court.

“I’m so glad we don’t have practice this weekend,” Tanaka exhaled, shaking his head. “I can’t imagine what day four without Take-chan would look like.”

Asahi winced with the rest of the team when Ukai-san’s menacing whisper turned into a sharp yell, and he had to agree. Too much more separation between their faculty advisor and coach would probably be a very bad thing.

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Ennoshita was watching the game against Date Tech with anxiety and fascination in both parts, both enjoying and loathing his position on the bench. On one hand, he wanted to be out there with his team, providing encouragement and making up for blocked hits and serving. But on the other hand, he was quite comfortable from his spot on the bench with no responsibility to keep the ball in play.

It was give and take. They were in their second match, riding high off of a win, but also out of surprises. Date Tech knew what was coming every time Hinata jumped. The score was running high, and Ennoshita and the rest of the bench riders hadn't sat down since the game began. 

Ukai-san was doing his best not to pace, Ennoshita noticed. Their coach tended to pace when he was getting anxious about the plays, but it only made the team more on edge so he had been trying to stop himself. Takeda-san was helping with that, murmuring something to Ukai-san every time he took a few too many steps. Ukai-san would huff in annoyance and plant his feet, eyes never leaving the game. 

Ennoshita watched as one of Hinata’s spikes made it through the Iron Wall, and he cheered with the rest of the team. There was nothing to describe the rush of watching your teammates succeed. His heart was beating out of his chest as he looked at the rest of his benched teammates, who all had the exact same look on their face: one of determination and hope. 

Ennoshita spared another glance at their coach, who had his fists clenched at his sides and his jaw tight as he watched the volley, eyes glued on the ball. If Ennoshita had blinked he would have missed it, but he saw Takeda-san quickly and deliberately brush his hand against Ukai-san’s fist, and Ukai-san reflexively relaxed. 

Well, that was interesting. Ennoshita knew that Takeda-san served as a great motivator and relief for the team, but he hadn’t even considered the extent to which he was important to their coach, as well. Maybe in more ways than one, if that brush of hands meant anything. 

He averted his eyes back to the game to watch Karasuno receive the ball. Kageyama set it up, and Ennoshita watched as they all executed the decoy front-row spike perfectly. The Iron Wall of Date Tech mistakenly followed Hinata, all of them wide-eyed with confusion as Asahi came barreling from the back row, snapping the ball over to the other side. It made a resounding smack as it hit the gym floor, Date Tech receivers missing it by a mile. 

They did it. They had won! 

The team roared, sharing in celebration and slapping each other a little too hard. The benched players took to the court, congratulating and cheering with their teammates. Ennoshita spared a glance back at their coach and advisor, who had twin sparkles in their eyes and matching grins on their faces. Ennoshita watched as the two of them shared a meaningful look before Ukai-san barked at the team to shake hands with Date Tech.

Of course, they celebrated after shaking hands as well, and Ukai-san let them have that moment. After all, they deserved it. Ukai-san and Takeda-san were watching the players jump up and down with excitement, and Ennoshita noticed them sharing a significant look between the two of them. With a small smile, he realized that they deserved that moment, too.


	2. Sicfic Bonus Chapter: The 3 Days of No Takeda

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ukai takes care of Takeda for 1500 words

**Day -1**

The team was running through their usual drills, and doing them well, and it made Ukai smile. These drills would be their routine warmup before every game, and the better they looked, the more intimidated other teams would be. This was how they started and ended practice, and their time tonight was nearing over.

Ukai looked over at Takeda, who was sitting contently on the bleachers. He didn’t say as much as he usually did at practice, and Ukai worried that there was something wrong. Shimizu was helping shag balls, so there was no one around to hear their conversation. “Are you alright, Sensei?” Ukai asked, voice softer than he intended.

“Ah, yes,” Takeda answered, smile growing in his fondness. “Just not feeling quite myself today. I’m sure I’ll be right tomorrow.”

Ukai looked at him and noticed the dark circles under his eyes. “Do me a favor, Sensei? Go home early and sleep, you look tired.”

It was a testament to the truthfulness of Ukai’s statement when Takeda just nodded, standing to leave. “I think that might be a good idea.”

“Do you need me to walk you home?” Ukai asked, trying not to get too close to the other man in front of the team.

Takeda shook his head. “I’ll be fine. I’ll text you when I get home.” 

Ukai watched him leave, and the pit in his stomach didn’t disappear until his phone chimed fifteen minutes later, a text displayed that read: **Made it back. Pleasant dreams :)**

**Day 1**

Sugawara approached him at the beginning of practice the next day. “Takeda-san wanted me to let you know that he’s home with the flu. He said he won’t be here tonight or tomorrow in hopes that he doesn’t pass it on to any of us,” Suga said simply, relaying information he no doubt got from Daichi. 

Ukai thanked him and sent a quick text to Takeda, wishing him health and asking if he needed anything. Damn teacher should have stayed home last night if he felt so bad. It made Ukai’s heart ache, just a little, at the reminder of how much Takeda loved their team. 

**Day 2**

At the beginning of practice, Ukai finally got a text back from Takeda, thanking him for the offer. 

**I’m feeling better, I’m sure I’ll see you tomorrow Ukai-kun!**

Ukai sure hoped so.

**Day 3**

Takeda wasn’t at practice again on Friday, and it worried Ukai. He texted the other man to get no response, and none of the kids knew anything about his condition either. It took everything in his power not to leave practice and run all the way to Takeda’s apartment to check on him, but the team deserved every moment of his time for as long as they could get it. They all showed up tonight, and he’d be damned if he didn’t.

Practice was an absolute blur. Time dragged on, but Ukai wasn’t very focused. Nothing the boys did was good enough, none of it would help them win. He yelled that to them, trying to make them understand. It was so easy for your dreams to be ripped out from under you if you didn’t continue fighting for them. 

Eventually, he was ripped out of his focus when Daichi mentioned something about a water break, and when he looked at the clock he noticed that it had been an hour since the players had last had water. He let them off, itching for a smoke and the cool night air anyway, and appreciated the short reprieve from the gym. 

Once he was outside he checked his phone and noticed a text from Takeda. 

**Fever returned :( See you Monday?**

Ukai clenched his jaw, rereading the text until his eyes hurt. If his boyfriend thought that he was just going to sit back until he was better, he had another thing coming.

**Keep your door unlocked, I’m coming over after practice.** He sent back, leaving no room for discussion. Then he squashed out his cigarette and put it in the trashcan’s ashtray before joining the team in the gym. Only one more hour to go.

A few minutes before practice was over, Ukai assigned the team to put away equipment, a job he and Takeda normally did together, and entrusted the keys to Shimizu, as he knew that she would be responsible enough. She also stopped by the shop on Saturdays, and would be able to drop the keys off then. He then raced off, making it to Takeda’s house in record time. Takeda would be so embarrassed if he knew. 

Ukai entered the apartment, pleased that Takeda had left the door unlocked as he had asked. He didn’t have to walk far before he saw Takeda lying on the couch, wrapped in a blanket and completely passed out. His glasses were almost hanging off his face, and he had a tissue balled up in his clenched fist. His nose was pink, and Ukai thought he had never looked cuter. He gently removed the glasses from Takeda’s face, placing them on the floor next to his head. Then he went into the kitchen to take stock of Takeda’s fridge, hoping to make him soup. 

He didn’t find a lot of ingredients, which made sense if Takeda had been unwell all week, but figured he could make a rudimentary chicken soup if he got a little creative. He was just finishing it up when he heard a wet cough from the living room, so he left the soup to simmer as he popped into the living room where Takeda was sitting up slowly. 

“Hi Sensei,” Ukai said softly, watching Takeda rub at his eyes and pick his glasses up from off the ground. 

“Keishin,” he said, voice a little rougher than normal and garbled with congestion, but smile just as bright as usual. He coughed into his tissue again. His smile dimmed. “You shouldn’t be here. I’m sure I’m still contagious.” 

Ukai shrugged, making his way to Takeda and sitting next to him on the couch despite the other man’s protests. “It was worth it to see that smile on your face,” he said simply, and Takeda’s already fever-flushed cheeks ran a darker red. 

“I have to confess, I am glad to see you,” he admitted.

“Well of course you are! I’m here to take care of you,” Ukai responded. He brushed Takeda’s small, slight curls away from his forehead and felt it with the back of his hand. “Do you have a thermometer?” 

Takeda nodded. “Last time I checked, I was at 103.” 

Ukai whistled, combing his hand absent-mindedly through his boyfriend’s hair. “Nice high score.” Takeda started to laugh, but it quickly turned into a small coughing fit. “Are you hungry? When’s the last time you ate?” Ukai asked.

Takeda screwed up his face in concentration. “Not sure,” he said. “I’m not very hungry, though.

Ukai stood, making his way towards the kitchen. “You need to eat,” he said firmly. He turned off the stove and stirred the soup one last time before dishing some of it out into a bowl. He turned to see Takeda almost at the kitchen table, his breathing a little labored from his trip. Ukai set the bowl in front of him along with a spoon and a glass of water. “I’m not letting you leave this table until you’ve drank all of that water and eaten most of that soup,” he said. 

Takeda tutted. “Okay, Mother,” he said playfully, picking up the spoon. Ukai watched him as he slowly ate and drank his meal until it was all gone, looking exhausted after he finished but still smiling up at Ukai. “Satisfied?” He asked. 

“Very,” Ukai answered, refusing to be baited by Takeda’s remarks. “Now go back to the couch, you look like death.” 

“Aw, Keishin. You know exactly what to say to --” he dissolved into another coughing fit, leaning against the doorframe to brace himself. “--to make a boy blush,” he finished, continuing his journey to the couch. 

Ukai watched him with a painful fondness before cleaning up the dishes and placing the pot of soup into the fridge. He refilled the water glass and joined Takeda on the couch, placing the water on the side table closest to Takeda. 

“You should leave,” Takeda said softly, wiping at his nose with a new tissue. “I would hate to see you catch this.” 

Ukai merely opened his arms and let Takeda fall into them, holding the smaller man close to his chest. “What kind of boyfriend would I be if I let you suffer alone, Ittetsu?” Ukai asked gently, and Takeda sniffed. “Let’s watch a movie. We’ll treat it as a date night.” 

Takeda let out a short laugh. “As long as you don’t mind me falling asleep on you.”

“That would be ideal. Can’t have you up and dying on me because you couldn’t break a damn fever,” Ukai said, beginning to run his fingers through Takeda’s sweat-slicked hair. “You need a bath,” he said as he reached for the television remote. 

“Mmm. Comfy,” Takeda mumbled back, his eyes closing against Ukai’s chest. His body was like a heater, and Ukai felt himself drifting off too. 

“Okay, after your nap,” Ukai relented, picking a movie that was already playing on the television, not intending to watch it.

“Mmm,” he said again. “Love you, Keishin.”

If things could be like this forever, Ukai could die a happy man. “Love you, Ittetsu.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! If you liked it feel free to give a kudos or a comment, I respond to all comments :)


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